Joshua was taken down twice by IBF heavyweight champion Dubois, who took control of the fight from the off. In the fifth round, Joshua was sent sprawling to the mat with a devastating right hand. Joshua attempted to stand up, but the referee dismissed the bout, giving Dubois an unexpected win.
With this setback, Joshua loses via knockout for the second time in his career and loses chance of winning the world title again three times.
Dubois got the better of the early exchanges in the battle. He backed Joshua onto the ropes during the opening round and felled him with a strong overhand right. while the obvious warning signs, Joshua was able to beat the referee’s count while appearing spooked.
More of the same in the second and third rounds as Dubois persisted in his unrelenting attack. Joshua, still wobbly, found it difficult to block Dubois’ precise hooks and jabs. In the third, Joshua was knocked down again, leaving him looking exhausted and stumped.
By the fourth round, Joshua was moving slowly and his blows were lacking in intensity, giving Dubois total control. Joshua tried his hardest, but he was unable to stop Dubois’s dominance.
The fifth round dealt the death blow. Joshua made a few strong punches in an attempt to rally, but Dubois reacted with a devastating right hand to the head and a clean blow to the jaw that sent Joshua flying to the ground.
With this win, Dubois effectively reclaims his IBF heavyweight belt, and Joshua’s chances of winning a third world title are now seriously threatened.
